Aviation

Helicopter Door Crashes Into Telangana Home, Narrow Escape For Worker

Hyderabad: Pilots flying low over a dense residential area in Telangana had a narrow escape on Monday as a metal door of their aircraft fell off and crashed into a terrace. No one was hurt.Ganesh Yadav, the owner of the house in Secunderabad on which the door fell, said a painter who was on the rooftop escaped the crash as he had gone down for lunch just moments before.

The aircraft plunged and rocked dangerously before its door was ripped off in the Lalaguda area, of Secunderabad.

The plane operated by the Telangana State Aviation Academy was on a training flight and was at 2,500 feet. A pilot and a trainee were in it.

Low-flying planes are a common sight in the Lalapet area because of the multiple training flights daily.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an inquiry into the crash. The 3 x 4 feet metal door with broken glass was kept inside the prison cell at a police station for several hours before it was taken away for investigation by civil aviation officials.

Last month on September 28, a trainee Indian Air Force aircraft, Kiran, had crashed in the area. The pilots had survived.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.